Technology has shaped the way we live our lives in almost every aspect. Instead of mailing a letter to your aunt in Maine, you can send her an email that will reach her in minutes. And if Fido or Fluffy escapes from your home, tracking devices embedded in them can alert you to their whereabouts.
So naturally it was only a matter of time before your pool learned how to operate itself. And, as Bruce Wetterer of Imperial Pool and Spa Services in Indiana explains, a number of systems are already available to make your pool a self-functioning part of your home.
Keep your pool safe
There are computer programs that are designed to help you maintain your pool water’s chemical balance. Using standard testing strips, you can input your findings into these programs to calculate how much chlorine or other chemicals need to be added to your pool. This eliminates the worry that you will be jeopardizing your family’s health by not having clean, neutral-based water.
You can also place a sensor in your pool that attaches to the wall to constantly track your pool’s chlorine and pH levels. It can distribute the necessary amounts of chlorine, acid or base into your pool automatically to keep the levels regulated. And, if it gets too high or too low for any other reason, the machine will sound an alarm to alert you.
Keep your pool clean
Many filters come with timers so that you can clean your pool everyday without having to give it much thought. Check with your owner’s manual first, but most filters have a timer that will allow you to pick the time of day the filter will turn on and how long it will run for. Most pool companies recommend that during the warmest months, you run your filter six to eight hours a day and suggest setting the timer for periods when no one is in the pool.
Or, if you are tired of constantly vacuuming your pool, you can buy an automatic pool vacuum. A variety of designs, sizes and speeds are available that vary in price. But essentially, the vacuum is placed in your pool (usually hooked up to your filter) and it does all the work. It then moves around the floor of your pool, sucking up any dirt or debris that have sunk to the bottom.
Keep your pool warm
Instead of having to switch a heater on and off as you need it, pool heaters now come with time and temperature settings. Similar to how you program your home’s thermostat, you can choose the temperature you want your pool to be and the heater will automatically kick on if it falls below that range. Additionally, you can also set a timer so that while you are away at work and won’t be using the pool, you won’t waste energy by having the heater on unnecessarily.
